Hong Kong Shopping?

[Dave_S]

Have the Hong Retailers set up bases in the UK?

I recently bought a pair of light stands from a company in Hong Kong, and they were delivered very quickly by Parcel Force, from an address in Hampshire.

Just last week, I ordered an adapter from another company in Hong Kong, and this was delivered by Royal Mail, six days later, from an address in Surrey.

Confusing

Dave

[CountDavid]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

Sounds good if confusing.
I am apprehensive about ordering form the far east as it can for ever for the gear to turn up and by then I have forgotten what I wanted it for!
Local sourcing will speed the process up and also take out the risk of Customs getting involved

David

[Dave_S]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

The problem is David, I couldn't find anything thing like this adapter from UK photographic equipment retailers. Whereas Hong Kong is an 'Aladdin's Cave' for things like this.

Dave

[Wayne Els]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

I recently bought a lens hood for my fuji on fleabay from HK. Total cost inc p&p £4.10 Actually came from HK in about a week, if customs had wanted to get involved over the couple of pence I might have owed I didn't mind. The same (ok genuine) item from Fuji UK is £89.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

I have no problems with Hong Kong or even China shopping (takes a bit longer). I also note that some Hong Kong firms have got outlets in UK, which is all to the good. For instance good old Panamoz has got an HSBC bank account in UK. This recent development to move into UK is very good news for the likes of me and other photographers.

[SamFisher]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

I bought a EF-m 11-22 from DigitalRev
Ordered at 23.30 on Saturday night (nothing like a few malts for loosening the purse strings )
Arrived here in Aberdeen from HK on Tuesday!!!

The lens hoods I ordered, one from HK arrived in a few days, the one from China I'm still waiting for

Mike

[S_J_P]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

If you take a look around eBay you'll often see the same item from the same retailer at different prices, with a premium on the UK shipped product, in effect you're paying for faster delivery and eliminating the risk of incurring import duty. From memory, Dream-2-buy and HiTech-Product are two such retailers, selling Yongnuo equipment both as a direct import and as UK dispatched. From my very limited experience, neither purchase method gives you any guarantee that the retailer won't ride roughshod over UK Consumer Rights though

[Dave_S]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

Probably worth the risk for a <£10 purchase Steve

Dave

[S_J_P]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

Probably worth the risk for a <£10 purchase Steve

Dave

That's presuming your chosen widget isn't 12' tall and weighting 250 lb, despite it looking like a hotshoe-adapter in the photo

Saving the cash (or getting something which isn't (readily) available in the UK) vs. the possible headaches is something which is down to the individual. All too often punters are critical of imports because it wasn't clear that the item they were purchasing was an import, even though nothing has actually gone wrong with either the transaction or the goods.

My take on it is that if I save 15-20% on the UK price, so long as my failure rate is better than one in six then I'm quids-in and I'm happy

[Nathaniel]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

My point is that money in my pocket is worth much more to me than to a business. I am basically a person who doesn't take too many silly risks in life although sometimes risks have been forced on me but NOT in the photographic sense. I have dealt with only two overseas firms, Digital Rev and Panamoz and Oh yes,Simply Electronic (I hope I got the name right),for large value items. I have had very good dealings with these firms and they are miles cheaper than their UK counter parts- Wex, Jessops, Parkers and similar. Where smaller value items are concerned I have no qualms about buying on Ebay as their warranty is excellent if and when things go wrong. I am also of the opinon that if more people buy items from overseas suppliers, it will certainly have a knock on effect on UK firms to bring down their prices; to my mind these UK firms are just about ripping us off. I must also mention that good overseas firms like Panamoz will also refund all import and other duties and so we don't have anything to lose.

[S_J_P]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

to my mind these UK firms are just about ripping us off.

I think that this is somewhat unfair Nat! If you check import-prices vs. UK prices for photographic goods, then you'll often see a 15-20% differential. Since these grey-importers have not paid import-duty nor VAT, their goods may well be 30% cheaper than officially imported and retailed goods, thus it is the grey-importers who are raking-in a greater profit margin when they offer a 20% "discount". There are of course exceptions to this "rule", when comparing US$/GB£ exchange rates for example, however in this instance you also have to consider US Sales Tax vs. UK VAT differences (and US$ prices don't include their own local sales-tax so they appear artificially low to begin with).

[Nathaniel]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

Perhaps I have not made myself very clear. When these so called "grey" imports come in this country, one has to pay the relevant duties- I certainly have paid them but the beauty of it is that the firm refunds me the duty paid. Surely that can't be bad. I don't know how they do it as I have left my auditing behind when I was forced to retire on health grounds; I am now concerned with my bank balance!

[Jock]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

I have dealt with dealers in Hong Kong for many years - one dealer over there became a personal friend and in all the time I've dealt with people there, I've never had a major problem that wasn't sorted out amicably.

Recently I've been working with Chinese dealers and I have to admit that some of the stuff I've been buying is poor quality, shipping does take a lot longer but communication and relationships (once the language barrier has been overcome) are far far better than dealing with European dealers.

[the black fox]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

I recently bought some extension tubes via e.bay and although it stated delivery from Portsmouth I was perturbed to see a HK paypal address ,the goods turned up after two days though from Portsmouth ,so it looks like there getting there act together and the real winners are us the buyers ,good service at good prices

[John27]

Re: Hong Kong Shopping?

wow just looked at Panamoz website, excellent prices. Example Canon 5d mark III £1660.60, on Wex site £2329.00. Thats a chunk of change saving, now if I only had the money, I know where I'd be buying it.

John